Floating power plant.



No. 867,192. PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907. J. W. DAWSON.

FLOATING POWER PLANT.

APPLICATION nun SEPT. 1a, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

J. W. DAWSON.

FLOATING POWER PLANT.

APPLIOATION FILED BEPT.13, 1906.

3 SHEETSSHEIST 2.

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P. A N m m Familiar J align/050m 1%? 1/7 A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, JAMES W. DAWSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR- OF ONE-FOURTH TO ROBERT W. GEES, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

-FLOATING? POWER PLANT.

To all whom it mug concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs W. Dawson, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have in ice plants and for other purposes, and my object is to produce apparatus of this character which will operate efficiently and reliably. V

A further object is-to produce apparatus which can be adjusted to operate a dynamo at a practically uniform speed irrespective of variations of speed in the cur rent.

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which,- A

Figure 1, is a top plan view of apparatus'embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a side view of the same and of a tower which forms an anchor for the fioating'plant and a point from which the current of electricity is distributed. Fig. 3, is avertical cross section taken on the line Ill-J11 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a detail perspective of a portion of the frame-work of "the plant, equipped at its front or upstream end with a log deflector. Fig. 5, is a section taken on the line VV of Fig. 7, showing a paddle-wheel of expansive and contractive construction. F ig'. 6, is an end view of the same. Fig. 7, is a cross section on the line VII-"II of Fig. 5. Fig. 8, is a section on the dotted line VIII of Fig. 5. Fig 9, is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical circuits.

In the said drawing the frame-work of the floating plant is in the form of a catamaran, by preference, that is, consists of a pair of parallel floats or boats 1, connected by suitable cross-bars 2 (one only appears), and a flooring 3, the flooring terminating short of the ends of the floats or boats as shown in Fig 1, so as to leave openings or bifurcations between the opposite ends of said floats or boats for a purpose which hereinafter appears.

4 indicates vertical channeled standards erected at the opposite ends and inner corners of the floats or boats, and fitting slidingly in said channel'or guide standards are longitudinal timbers 5 reinforced by truss-frames 6 to prevent said timbers sagging at the middle.

7 indicates a cross-plate connecting timbers 5 about midway their length and 8 is a dynamo mounted on said cross-plate, the armature 9 0i the dynamo being Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 13, 1906. Serial No. 334,437.

Patented Sept. 24, 1907.

- mounted on a cross-shaft 10 journaled inbearings 11 of the dynamo and in b ixes 12 secured to the timbers 5.

The vertically adj'ustable frame constituted by the trussed-timbers 5 and the connecting cross-plate 7 is mounted upon the upper ends of the plunger stem of a series of hydraulic jacks 13 mounted on the floats or boats and of common and well-known construction.

14 indicates a. small motor connected to a small pump 15 mounted on one of the floats or boats and provided with a suction-pipe 16 depending into the water.. The pump is provided with a system of water-distributing pipes '17 for the purpose of supplying water to the hydraulic jacks at certain times and a discharge 17 18 indicates a gearpinion'on shaft 10 and meshing with a large gear-wheel 19 on a cross-shaft 20 journaled naled in bearings 28 on said vertically adjustable frame, shaft 27 beingequipped with sprocket-wheel .29 connected bya chain 30 with a similar sprocket 31 on a crossshaft 32 at the opposite end of the catamaran and journaled in bearings 33 on the vertically adjurtable frame, and rigidly secured on shafts 27 and 32 are similar paddle-wheels 34 of such diameter as to depend into the water at opposite ends of the platform connecting the floats 'or boats, the sprocket gearing between said wheels insuring a cooperative action between them for the purpose of driving the armature ol the d namo at high speed and thus generating an electric current to be distributed as hereinafter explained. A V- shaped deflecting frame 136 projects forward from that end of the boat'which will be disposed up-stream and is equipped by preference with a metallic prow or shoe 37, this frame being designed to protect the contiguous paddle-wheel from injury by logs and brush- Wood which may be in the stream, and in order to guard against the possibility of a log diving 'undcr the deflector at times when the current is exceedingly swift, the deflecting frame is provided with a pair of plates 38 having vertical slots 39 engaging bolts 40 carried by the frame, clamping nuts 41 engaging the bolts to clamp plates 38 at the desired points of vertical adjustment, and thus in effect vary the depth of the deflecting frame in the water. If desired both ends of the catamaran can be equipped with deflecting frames.

The paddle-wheels shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are adapted to be submerged in the water more or loss through the adjustment of the vertically adjustable frame heroinbefore described. If-dcsircrl the wheels may be of the construction shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, in which case the use of a vertically adjustable frame will be unnecessary because the diameter of the wheel itself can be .varied. In the modified construction of wheel referred to, 42 indicates the shaft provided with 4 longitudinal keys or splines 43 and at opposite sides' withgrooves 44. 45 indicates parallel shafts extending '5 longitudinally through grooves 44 and journaled in the body Ofjllaft 42; said shafts 45 being providedwithin 1.: grooves44 with screw-threaded portions 46 and 47, the 46 of each shaft being threaded in the opposite direction to portion 47 it being further noticed that the ponies 1 46 of one shaft and 47 of the other are contiguj "ous, (see Fig. 8) for a purpose which hereinafter appears.

pying'safid' gmove. Pivoted to the collars are arms 52 v ,pivotallycarrying' paddles or blades 53 at their outer 2( ends as at54, the arms of the collars projecting inwardly 'with respect to the ends of the paddles or blades at all times eice'pt when the wheel is expanded to its great- "est diameter, at which time arms 52 stand at right angles Ito the "shafts: TQ effect a change in the size of the .25- wheel the shafts 45 are provided at one end with cog- I I wheels 56 meshing with a cog wheel'56 secured on a short'shaft. 57 jou'rnaled in a socket 58 in shaft 42 and in bearing 59 secured to the contiguous timber 5, a .cmnk-ha'ndle 60 being utilized. to turn sha'ft 57for purpose of revolving shafts 45 in opposite directions and, thus causing the collars 48 to approach or move apart. 1

I '1 The floating plant be an'chorechin the stream in any suitable manner, one method of anchoring being expmpliiied in Fig. 4'where will be seen a pier 61 sura station 62,-one or more cables 63 being oonhected to the pier and to brackets 64 attached to the floats or'boats 1. The dynamo or generator is connected by conductors 65 and 66 to the station adapted to con- .'tai1laitm'naf6rmer (not shown) or equivalent device for ;distributing current through one or more circuits 67 tooperate motors 68 in said circuits, and through such operation drive the machinery for manufacturing ice or for-.other purposes.

iihpact of the flowing water on the paddles or blades of the "wheels rotate the latter ashereinbefore stated and through the gearing'described drive the dynamo and generate electricity which is distributed as indidated in Fig. 9 or othei'wise; to points more or less remote The punfp motor hereinbefore described is connected the stream; As it isnecessary that the rotation of" the dynamo shall be substantially uniform,- it is essential to provide means for regulating the speed, or preventing sudden fluctuations'in its'speed,'and this object'I accomplish by varying the leverage of the .water,

on the wheel. I accomplish this object by raising or lowering the wheels .as hereinbefore explained or. by

varying the diameter of the wheels, or both methods may be combined if desired, and it will be further understood that the'armature shaft-will in practice, be equipped with one or more fly-wheels, (not shown) to renderf the speed of revolution as nearly uniform as practical.

A plant of the character described will be found especially serviceable for generating electricity to operateice machinery in small towns where it would be.

otherwise impracticable to have a cold storage fia-nt. A large number of small plants of this character would be of incalculable value to the farmers and fruit growers as it would permit them at a minimum cost .to avoid a sacrifice of fruit and other products. f 4

From the above description-it will be apparent that I have produced apparatus of the character described and which embodies the features of advantage enumer ated as'desirable in the statement of the object of my invention andwhich' obviously is susceptible of modification in varidus particulars without departing from the principle of construction involved.

Havingthus described the, invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isz

1. A floating power plant provided with one or more p addlewheels to be rotated by the current, a dynamo,

means for transmitting; motion from the wheel to the dynamo, one or more motors at any desired distance from the dynamo, and means actuated by the electricity generated by the dynamo, to raise the latter and the paddlewheel or wheels, A

2. A floating power plant provided with one or more paddle-wheels to be rotated by the current, a" dynamo, means for transmitting motlonrrom the wheel to the 'dynamo, one or more motors at any desired distance from the dynamo, a motor pump, hydraulic jacks connected to Hm pump, a suction pipe extending from the pump down lnto the water, conductors connecting, the dynamo and pump in the samecircuiaand a switch to break suclr circuit.

.3. In apparatus ot the character'descril'vell; a catamaran,.a paddle-wheel carried thereby 'depending'lhto the water, means for varying the depth of the wheel in the water, a dynamo'mounted on the catamaran and driven by said wheel, a pier in the stream provided with a sta-' I tion, conductors leading from the dynamo to said station, a- V-shaped deflector projecting forward trom the catamuran'and protecting the paddle-wheel, and'uertlcally-ad. justable plates carried by the deflector and adapted to be submerged varying dlstances.in the water. f

'In testimony whereof I afllx my sighature, in the presence of two witnesses. JAMES W. DAWSQIL Witnesses:

I. H. Mnnnu'r, G. Y. Tlroarn. 

